15333 Culver Blvd, Ste. 340-819 Irvine, CA 92604 949.734€¦ · Orange County District...
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Page 1 of 7 15333 Culver Blvd, Ste. 340-819 Irvine, CA 92604 949.734.0859 CMP.org 31 July 2018 Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health Office of Population Affairs, Attention: Family Planning U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Hubert H. Humphrey Building, Room 716G 200 Independence Avenue SW Washington, DC 20201 Dear Secretary Azar, Assistant Secretary ADM Giroir, Acting Director Huber: I am writing to comment in support of the proposed rule “Compliance with Statutory Program Integrity Requirements,” HHS-OS-2018-0008-0001, to revise the Office of Population Affairs’ Title X regulations to better comply with and implement the clear statutory directives of 42 U.S.C. 300 et seq. to protect taxpayers from being forced to subsidize elective abortion. The Center for Medical Progress (CMP) is a non-profit citizen journalism organization dedicated to monitoring and reporting on medical ethics and advances, with a special focus on bioethical issues that impact human dignity. CMP is responsible for the groundbreaking, long-term investigative journalism study “The Human Capital Project”, which documented senior-level leadership at Title X provider Planned Parenthood callously negotiating the harvesting and sale of late-term aborted fetal body parts in violation of federal law. 1 CMP’s undercover videos exposing Planned Parenthood’s sale of aborted baby body parts prompted two national-scope investigations by the Senate Judiciary Committee 2 and the House Energy & Commerce Committee’s Select Investigative Panel, which found “systematic violations” of federal law at multiple Title X provider Planned Parenthood affiliates. 3 The Congressional investigations made criminal referrals to the FBI and U.S. Department of Justice for Title X providers Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, Planned Parenthood Northern California, Planned Parenthood Los Angeles, Planned Parenthood Pacific Southwest, their parent organization Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and their business partners. 4 1 See http://www.centerformedicalprogress.org/human-capital/ 2 Human Fetal Tissue Research: Context and Controversy, Dec. 2016, https://www.grassley.senate.gov/sites/default/files/judiciary/upload/22920%20-%20FTR.pdf 3 Select Investigative Panel Final Report, 30 Dec. 2016, https://energycommerce.house.gov/news/letter/select- investigative-panel-final-report/ See pgs. xxi, 18, 181, 365. 4 See https://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-refers-planned-parenthood-fetal-tissue- procurement-organizations-fbi and https://energycommerce.house.gov/news/press-release/select-panel-refers- numerous-entities-further-investigation-possible/
Transcript of 15333 Culver Blvd, Ste. 340-819 Irvine, CA 92604 949.734€¦ · Orange County District...
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15333 Culver Blvd, Ste. 340-819 Irvine, CA 92604
949.734.0859 CMP.org
31July2018OfficeoftheAssistantSecretaryforHealthOfficeofPopulationAffairs,Attention:FamilyPlanningU.S.DepartmentofHealthandHumanServices,HubertH.HumphreyBuilding,Room716G200IndependenceAvenueSWWashington,DC20201DearSecretaryAzar,AssistantSecretaryADMGiroir,ActingDirectorHuber:Iamwritingtocommentinsupportoftheproposedrule“CompliancewithStatutoryProgramIntegrityRequirements,”HHS-OS-2018-0008-0001,torevisetheOfficeofPopulationAffairs’TitleXregulationstobettercomplywithandimplementtheclearstatutorydirectivesof42U.S.C.300etseq.toprotecttaxpayersfrombeingforcedtosubsidizeelectiveabortion.TheCenterforMedicalProgress(CMP)isanon-profitcitizenjournalismorganizationdedicatedtomonitoringandreportingonmedicalethicsandadvances,withaspecialfocusonbioethicalissuesthatimpacthumandignity.CMPisresponsibleforthegroundbreaking,long-terminvestigativejournalismstudy“TheHumanCapitalProject”,whichdocumentedsenior-levelleadershipatTitleXproviderPlannedParenthoodcallouslynegotiatingtheharvestingandsaleoflate-termabortedfetalbodypartsinviolationoffederallaw.1CMP’sundercovervideosexposingPlannedParenthood’ssaleofabortedbabybodypartspromptedtwonational-scopeinvestigationsbytheSenateJudiciaryCommittee2andtheHouseEnergy&CommerceCommittee’sSelectInvestigativePanel,whichfound“systematicviolations”offederallawatmultipleTitleXproviderPlannedParenthoodaffiliates.3TheCongressionalinvestigationsmadecriminalreferralstotheFBIandU.S.DepartmentofJusticeforTitleXprovidersPlannedParenthoodMarMonte,PlannedParenthoodNorthernCalifornia,PlannedParenthoodLosAngeles,PlannedParenthoodPacificSouthwest,theirparentorganizationPlannedParenthoodFederationofAmerica,andtheirbusinesspartners.41Seehttp://www.centerformedicalprogress.org/human-capital/2HumanFetalTissueResearch:ContextandControversy,Dec.2016,https://www.grassley.senate.gov/sites/default/files/judiciary/upload/22920%20-%20FTR.pdf3SelectInvestigativePanelFinalReport,30Dec.2016,https://energycommerce.house.gov/news/letter/select-investigative-panel-final-report/Seepgs.xxi,18,181,365.4Seehttps://www.grassley.senate.gov/news/news-releases/grassley-refers-planned-parenthood-fetal-tissue-procurement-organizations-fbiandhttps://energycommerce.house.gov/news/press-release/select-panel-refers-numerous-entities-further-investigation-possible/
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LastDecember,theDOJannounceditwasfollowinguponthecriminalreferralsandinvestigatingthesales,5andtwocompaniesthatobtainedfetalorgansandtissuesfromlate-termabortionsatTitleXproviderPlannedParenthoodOrange&SanBernardinoCountiesadmittedguiltforsellingthefetaltissueagainstthelawina$7.8millionsettlementwiththeOrangeCountyDistrictAttorney’sOffice.6OCDAcreditedCMP’sinvestigativereportingwithpromptingthesuccessfulcase.7ThefiveCaliforniaPlannedParenthoodaffiliatesimplicatedintheCongressionalinvestigationsandcriminalreferralscollectivelyreceivedover$5millioninTitleXfundingin2016alone.8TitleX’sextensivecomminglingwithPlannedParenthood’sabortion-as-family-planningandbabypartsbusinessinCaliforniaillustratestheunconscionableabuseoftaxpayerdollarsthatfullimplementationandenforcementofSection1008oughttoprevent.CMPcommentsinsupportoftheproposednewrule,andtohighlighttheneedforfullenforcementoftheTitleXstatutetofulfillthestatute’spolicygoalthatthepublicnotbeforcedtosubsidizetheabortionindustry.
ABORTIONASFAMILYPLANNINGINCALIFORNIATITLEXPROGRAMSInTitleX’sstatutoryauthorization,42U.S.C.300a-6states,“Noneofthefundsappropriatedunderthissubchaptershallbeusedinprogramswhereabortionisamethodoffamilyplanning.”Underthecurrentregulatoryimplementation,however,theclearwordsofthisstatuteareadeadletter.Eachofthe7regionalPlannedParenthoodaffiliatesinCaliforniaperformsabortions,andaccordingtothemostrecentTitleXdirectory,virtuallyeverysingleoneofPlannedParenthood’sapproximately100clinicsinCaliforniaisaTitleXsite.TheseTitleXsitesincludesomeofthemostnotoriouslate-termabortionclinicsinCaliforniaoperatedbyPlannedParenthood:thePlannedParenthoodclinicsinRiverside,SanDiego,andOrangeallperformelectiveabortionsupto6months,9andeachofthemislistedinthedirectoryasaTitleXsite.10TheHouseSelectInvestigativePanelreleasedamonthlyinvoicefromPlannedParenthoodMarMonteseekingpaymentfromitsbusinesspartnerStemExpressforfetaltissue“ProductsOfConception”thatStemExpresshadharvestedatPlannedParenthoodMarMonteclinics.Every
5“JusticeDept.InvestigatingFetalTissueTranfersbyPlannedParenthoodandOthers,”NicholasFandos,TheNewYorkTimes,8Dec.2017,https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/08/us/politics/planned-parenthood-fetal-tissue-transfers-federal-investigation.html6“Firmsreach$7.8-millionsettlementoverallegationsofsellingfetaltissue,”DanielLanghorne,TheLosAngelesTimes,9Dec.2017,http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-fetal-tissue-20171209-story.html7OCDApressrelease,8Dec.2017,http://orangecountyda.org/civica/press/display.asp?layout=2&Entry=54068SeeEssentialAccessHealthIRSForm990,2016,pg.34,http://rct.doj.ca.gov/Verification/Web/Download.aspx?saveas=222412.pdf&document_id=09027b8f80300fa79Seehttps://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-center/california/riverside/92506/riverside-center-2187-90110/abortionandhttps://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-center/california/san-diego/92101/first-avenue-specialty-services-michelle-wagner-center-4036-90110/abortionandhttps://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-center/california/orange/92866/orange-health-center-3264-90160/abortion10Seepages155-156,https://www.hhs.gov/opa/sites/default/files/Title-X-Family-Planning-Directory-June2018.pdf
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singlePlannedParenthoodMarMontecliniclistedontheinvoiceasasiteforharvestingandsellingfetaltissue,isaTitleXsite:
PlannedParenthoodMarMonteinvoicetoStemExpress,LLCforpaymentforabortedfetaltissue.ExhibitD1fromHouseSelectInvestigativePanelhearing,“ThePricingofFetalTissue,”20April2016.https://energycommerce.house.gov/hearings/pricing-fetal-tissue/
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AllTitleXgrantmoneyinCaliforniapassesthroughEssentialAccessHealth(EAH),theprimarygranteewhichthendistributestothenumeroussub-recipients,includingPlannedParenthoodaffiliates.In2016,4outofthe5topsub-recipientsofTitleXgrantsthroughEAHwerePlannedParenthoodaffiliates.11All7ofCalifornia’sregionalPlannedParenthoodaffiliatesareTitleXsub-recipientsunderEAH,andtogethertheyreceivedover$5.6millionin2016—wellover25%ofEAH’stotalapproximately$20milliongranteachyear.12ForeverydollarinTitleXmoneyspentinCalifornia,about$0.28goestoPlannedParenthood.EAHitselfisanorganizationthatembracestheconceptofabortionasfamilyplanning.In2016,EAH,co-sponsoredCaliforniaAB1954,the“DirectAccesstoReproductiveHealthAct”,underwhich“healthinsuranceplansareprohibitedfromrequiringenrolleestosecureareferralpriortoaccessingservicesrelatedto[…]abortion”.13Infact,ofEAH’s13legislativeprioritiesin2016,6ofthemhadtodowithexpandingelectiveabortionaccess.14EAHoffersanonlineContinuingEducationCreditmedicalcoursein“BestPracticesinPregnancyOptionsEducation”,whichinstructsproviders:“Qualitypregnancyoptionseducationincludesprovidingmedicallyaccurate,unbiased,non-judgmentalinformationaboutabortion”,andspecifiesthat“FamilyPlanningStaff”shouldattendthiscourse.15OfEAH’s15BoardDirectors,almosthalfofthemhaveclosetiestoPlannedParenthood.Meanwhile,2ofthe5officialsonEAH’sExecutiveTeamarelongtimePlannedParenthoodexecutives—CEOJulieRabinovitzistheformerCOOofPlannedParenthoodofIllinois,andCommunicationsDirectorAmyMoywasformerlythePublicRelationsmanagerforPlannedParenthoodGoldenGate.16ItisunsurprisingthatEAHisdedicatedtobothPlannedParenthood’scontinuedfundingwithtaxpayerdollarsandPlannedParenthood’spromotionofabortionasfamilyplanning.Foritspart,PlannedParenthoodwasaPresentingSponsorofEAH’s50thanniversary.17
ORGANIZATIONALSEPARATIONNECESSARYTOFULLYIMPLEMENTSECTION100811See2016IRSForm990forEssentialAccessHealth,Ibid.12Seehttps://www.hhs.gov/opa/grants-and-funding/archive/past-grant-awards/index.html13EAHFactSheetonCaliforniaAB1954,http://www.essentialaccess.org/sites/default/files/AB1954_Direct_Access_to_Reproductive_Health_Act_Fact_Sheet.pdf14EAH2016LegislativePriorities,http://www.essentialaccess.org/sites/default/files/EssentialAccessHealth_Legislative_Priorities_2016.pdf15EAHContinuingEducationonlinecoursedescription,“BestPracticesinPregnancyOptionsEducation,”https://www.essentialaccess.org/learning-exchange/best-practices-pregnancy-options-education-online-course16EssentialAccessHealthtiestoabortion-as-family-planningadvocacyandPlannedParenthood,BoardDirectors:JenniferBlum,MPH,GynuityHealthProjects,http://gynuity.org/about/staff/blum/;Dr.KimberlyGregory,overseesMaternal-FetalMedicinerotationatPPLA,https://apps.acgme.org/ads/Public/Programs/Detail?programId=31825;Dr.PratimaGupta,abortionproviderwithPhysiciansforReproductiveHealth,https://twitter.com/prhdocs/status/610475107102945280;KimMeredith,formerChiefDevelopmentOfficerforPPFA,https://pacscenter.stanford.edu/person/kim-meredith/;MonaShah,PPFAChampionsforWomen’sHealthAward,2014,https://www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us/newsroom/press-releases/planned-parenthood-honors-congressional-staffers-champions-womens-health-award;AllisonSonenshine,longtimechairofPPOSBCBoardofDirectors,https://www.linkedin.com/in/allyson-sonenshine-ab4268/;SandraShewry,formerCAHealthDepartment,defendedPPfromFalseClaimsActlawsuit,http://articles.latimes.com/2008/mar/08/local/me-billing8;ExecutiveStaff:CEOJulieRabinovitz,formerSeniorVPofBusinessOperations,PPIL,https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-rabinovitz-mph-0351a925/;VPPublicAffairsAmyMoy,formerVPPublicRelationsPPGoldenGate,https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-moy-1677523/17Seehttps://www.essentialaccess.org/set-future-motion
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InPartIV.IoftheSupplementaryInformationtotheproposedrule,theDepartment“seekspubliccommentastowhetheradditionalregulatoryprovisions,suchasarequirementforaTitleXclinictooperateunderadistinctnamefromafacilitythatprovidesabortionasamethodoffamilyplanning,orfororganizationalseparation,arenecessarytoensurecompliancewithsection1008.”BasedontheexperienceofCalifornia’sTitleXsubsidizationoflargePlannedParenthoodabortionaffiliates,totalorganizationalseparationisnecessarytoenforcetheproposedrule’sphysicalandfinancialseparationrequirementsandtofullyimplementtherequirementsoftheTitleXstatute.ThefollowingtablesummarizestheCaliforniaPlannedParenthoodaffiliates,theirtotalamountofTitleXgrantsin2016,thenumberoftheseaffiliates’TitleXclinicslistedintheOPADirectorythatalsoperformelectiveabortions,andtheannualnumberofabortionsperformedbythePlannedParenthoodaffiliate/TitleXsub-recipient:
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TitleXSub-Recipient TotalGrants(2016)18
ABClinicTitleXSites,and
(%totalSites)19
Abortions(mostrecent
year)20PlannedParenthoodMarMonte $1,743,498 26
(79%) 17,884
PlannedParenthoodNorthernCalifornia $952,900 17
(100%) Unreported
PlannedParenthoodLosAngeles $1,052,689 16
(76%) 12,686
PlannedParenthoodOrange&SanBernardinoCounties $663,020 9
(100%) 8,601
PlannedParenthoodofthePacificSouthwest $658,087 14
(88%) 16,999
PlannedParenthoodPasadena&SanGabrielValley $219,915 3
(75%) ~800
PlannedParenthoodCaliforniaCentralCoast $362,625 5
(100%) Unreported
TOTAL: $5,652,734 90(86%)
atleast56,970
Fully86%ofPlannedParenthoodTitleXsitesinCaliforniaarealsoabortionclinics,whichisunsurprisinggiventheinstitutionalcultureandbusinessmodelofthePlannedParenthoodbrand.21Whileintheabstract,physicaland/orfinancialseparationbetweenabortionservicesandTitleXprogramsmightseemsufficienttocarryoutthedirectivesofSection1008,forabortion-centricproviderslikePlannedParenthood,nothingshortoftotalorganizationalseparationislikelytoprotecttaxpayersfromproppinguptheorganization’sabortionbusiness.TitleXproviderPlannedParenthoodMarMonteisboththelargestPlannedParenthoodaffiliateinthecountry,andalsothelargestTitleXsub-recipientinCalifornia.Planned
18From2016IRSForm990forEssentialAccessHealth,Ibid.19FromOPATitleXFamilyPlanningDirectory,June2018,https://www.hhs.gov/opa/sites/default/files/Title-X-Family-Planning-Directory-June2018.pdfandPlannedParenthooddirectory,https://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-center20Frommostrecentaffiliatereports,availableathttps://www.plannedparenthood.orgexceptforPPPSGV,personalreportfromDr.MaryGatter,formerMedicalDirector,http://www.centerformedicalprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/PPFA020615_transcript.pdf21“AbortionmandatecostsPlannedParenthoodafewaffiliates,”M.AlexJohnson,NBCNews,6Dec.2012,http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/06/15702142-abortion-mandate-costs-planned-parenthood-a-few-affiliates
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ParenthoodMarMonteperformsnearly18,000abortionseveryyear,22and79%ofPPMM’sTitleXsitesperformabortions.PlannedParenthoodMarMonte’sabortionrevenueandTitleXrevenuearebothpaiddirectlytoPlannedParenthoodMarMontethecorporation,aswasthemoneythatStemExpresspaidtoPlannedParenthoodMarMonteinexchangeforabortedfetalbodyparts.PlannedParenthoodMarMonte,Inc.paysitsMedicalDirectortomanageboththeabortionpracticeandtheTitleXoperations,itpaysthecontractphysicianswhoperformabortions,anditpaysforclinicinfrastructureandclinicmanagementwheretheabortionsareperformed.23Theassets,grants,andrevenuesheldbyanaffiliatelikePlannedParenthoodMarMontedirectlyenableitsmassiveabortionprogrambecausetheabortionprogramiscoextensivewiththePlannedParenthoodaffiliateitself.Additionally,anyPlannedParenthoodaffiliatemustpayduesbacktothenationalofficeatPlannedParenthoodFederationofAmerica,24whichinturnoffersgrantsbacktoaffiliatestoexpandabortionservicesandrequirestheycomplywithitsdirectives.Inlightofthesefacts,totalorganizationalseparationislikelyrequiredtokeepabortionproviderslikePlannedParenthoodfromsimplyplayingshellgameswithpublicfunding.
CONCLUSIONTheDepartment’supdatestoOPA’sTitleXregulationsarelongoverdueinordertofullycomplywiththeclearlawandpolicyoftheTitleXstatuteat42U.S.C.300a-6,andtoprotectAmericantaxpayersfrombeingforcedtosubsidizeprogramsthatpeddleabortionasamethodoffamilyplanning.Sincerely,
DavidDaleidenFounder&ProjectLeadTheCenterforMedicalProgress
22PlannedParenthoodMarMonteAnnuelReport,FY2017,https://www.plannedparenthood.org/uploads/filer_public/74/0c/740cbaa6-0d5a-42be-a5e3-3fd852cdddf4/ar17_final_lowres.pdf23SeePlannedParenthoodMarMonte2015IRSForm990,http://rct.doj.ca.gov/Verification/Web/Download.aspx?saveas=1330757.PDF&document_id=09027b8f802f33d124SeePPFAAnnualReport,https://www.plannedparenthood.org/uploads/filer_public/d4/50/d450c016-a6a9-4455-bf7f-711067db5ff7/20171229_ar16-17_p01_lowres.pdf
